Selena Gomez got inked.
In between cryptic social media posts, the “Slow Down” singer found time to pick out a permanent inspirational message.
“Little gift for my friend @selenagomez,” tattoo artist Bang Bang McCurdy shared on Instagram along with the above photo on Wednesday.
Bang Bang spoke to E! News about the tat, which Gomez got on the upper right side of her back.
“Its meaning translates to ‘love yourself,'” Bang Bang explained about the script, which appears to be an Arabic translation of the phrase “love yourself first.”
“Selena already had it written out how she wanted,” he continued. “The tattoo is about 4 inches, and didn’t take too long, probably about 30-45 minutes. The longest part is laying it out. We played with it a bit laying it out, until we found the perfect spot… She loved it; she flipped out!”
This 21-year-old Spring Breakers actress has about “5-6 tattoos” already. Gomez has the roman numerals “LXXVI” on the back of her neck for her mother’s birth year, and a musical note on her right wrist. She also revealed in November the meaning of her hip tattoo.
“It’s really small,” Selena told Ryan Seacrest. “It’s pretty. I’ve actually had it for over a year now. I’ve been pretty good at actually keeping it hidden, [but] it’s my favorite Bible verse. It’s Philippians 4:13 – ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’”
Guess Gomez will keep us guessing as to what (and where) her other tattoos are.
Ironically, Bang Bang is also responsible for inking her on-again, off-again boyfriend Justin Bieber, whom Gomez has been in an Instagram-off with lately. At the moment, the hot-and-cold couple are not dating.
Gomez and her new tattoo popped up in Italy at the Ischia Global Film & Music Festival, while the Biebs has been partying it up with Chris Brown in L.A.
Somehow we doubt Selena and Justin will be “off” for long.